Bicycle Routes
Onslow County has two bicycle routes for cyclists to enjoy. Routes range from a 20 mile loop to a 50 mile loop. Maps are available at the Parks and Recreation Administration Office located on Onslow Pines Road.
Interest in bicycling has increased greatly throughout North Carolina in recent years. A number of Jacksonville cyclists are regularly riding their bicycles to Hammocks Beach State Park and the coastal areas to the north. Many more people would like to bike from Jacksonville to the Sea but are concerned about riding along busy Highway 24, the primary link to the coast. Few individuals realize that a safer route exists along the lightly-traveled secondary roads of Onslow County. The twenty-one mile bicycle trip outlined in the brochure highlights the alternate route, which takes you from Jacksonville Mall to the Hammocks Beach State Park ferry terminal.
The Richlands Loop Bicycle Route is marked by green and white bike route signs placed along the route. The 50 mile loop passes through rural south-eastern North Carolina and the headwaters of the New River. The route passes farms, small crossroads towns, and pine forests common to the pocosins and swamps of the coastal plain of North Carolina. The terrain is level and all roads are paved and in good condition. The best times for enjoying the Richlands Loop Bicycle Route are spring and fall when temperatures are cooler and weather conditions are more moderate. Winter weather tends to be unpredictable and summers in Onslow County can be extremely hot and humid. A shorter loop of 20 miles is shown on the map. The route leaves the longer Richlands Loop south of Gregory Crossroads and rejoins it at Catherine Lake. So, where you bicycle the entire Richlands Loop, or join us for a shorter ride, we hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip.